Tokyo It-Girl Yoon On Insomniac Skin And The Secret To Unbreakable Blonde

You might not recognize AMBUSH jewelry designer, DJ, and nightlife fixture Yoon (yet), but the Tokyo-based Seattle transplant has plenty of famous fans. When A$AP Rocky wanted a love interest for his L$D video, he chose Yoon. "I told him 'like are you sure 'cause I can still introduce you to models and actress, people who can actually act in a music video' and he said 'no I want like a real person to be in it', so I said yes," she told i-D. Here, Yoon talks Japanese beauty, American drugstore buys, and the secret to unbreakable platinum blonde hair.

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What do you think the major differences are between the American and Japanese approach to beauty?

I think [in Japan] the biggest is that people don't seek comfort. Doing the ritual, putting on makeup, doing their hair, putting on a nice outfit; they don't even think twice about it because how they appear to the outside matters. I feel like back in the U.S. it was all about comfort. 'How can I run out as quick as I can?' There's nothing wrong with girls who enjoy applying makeup and enjoy going to the hair salon and getting their hair done, getting their nails done, and all that stuff. It's much more part of their life rather than back home. Well I don't know which one is home now.

What are your ultra essential beauty products?

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My favorite is Diorshow eyeliner; the black one. I'm on my 10th one. I go morning to nighttime—sometimes like 2 or 4 in the morning—and that stays on. I don't really wear foundation; it's just mineral powder. Vitamin C in the morning is a must. And sunscreen every day, no matter what. It's something that stuck with me since I was 16. Even if I don't sleep, I still like to put on my makeup and do my hair. I use my hands a lot because I make jewelry. I still like to do my nails. I just like looking presentable wherever I go. I prefer putting on eyelashes rather than getting eyelash extensions because I don't want my lashes to fall out. There's a lot of good lashes that are so easy to put on. Trick is you cut it three ways and then put it on because no lashes curve perfectly. So you do the end, middle and the front.

Do you have a multi-step skincare regimen?

I'm simple. In the morning I just wash my face with water, then I put on Vitamin C serum, then after that I put on a moisturizing serum, and then eye cream, and then a face cream, and at nighttime I wash it with a really mild cleanser.

How do you keep your blonde so vibrant and shiny?

My hair is bleached so I need a really good oil to moisturize it, so that's a must. I use Moroccan Oil.Olaplex, it's supposed to lock in the proteins when you bleach your hair. So you're supposed to add this product into the bleach, while you bleach it, and it does not make your hair break. They don't have it here, but it works. Now I bring that with me when I go to the hair salon.

Is there stuff you get in America that you can't get here?

I love BITE lipsticks, but they don't have that here so I get those at Sephora, they're really nice. It's just pleasant, it's moisturizing and the color lasts long as well. It doesn't dry out as much. I love Smashbox O-Gloss. The Hourglass highlighter looks really nice on my skin. It looks good on dark skin. It blends really well.

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